Simcha's Torah Stories - Tetzaveh
Parshat Tetzaveh
KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING
Shoshie, you look like something is troubling you.
Mom, there is something that I would like to talk about. Can we go into the other room?
Of course, Shoshie dear.
Mom and Shoshie go into the bedroom and begin to talk. Suddenly, Avi bursts into the room without knocking.
Mom! Guess what? You'll never believe what happened!
Shoshie is so startled from the sudden entrance that she begins to cry.
Oh, poor Shoshie. Avi try to be more cautious when you enter the room.
I know Mom, but you'll never believe what happened.
What happened Avi?
Moishe caught a frog and put it in his pocket!
I see Avi. Okay, now that you've told me that, please go out of the room so that I can speak with Shoshie. Afterwards I would like to have a few minutes with you.
Sure Mom.
Mom and Shoshie finish their little talk. Then it is Avi's turn.
Mom, are you upset with me?
Not at all Avi. I just want to share a Devar Torah with you. Avi, Do you know what the main subject of this week's Torah portion is?
The clothing that the Kohanim (priests) wore in the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple).
Very good, Avi. One of the special garments of the Kohen Godol (High Priest) was a long blue robe. Sewed onto the bottom were golden bells. The verse (Shemos 28:35) writes that the sound of the bells would be heard when the Kohen Godol entered the Holy Sanctuary in front of G-d. Now, let me ask you something, Avi. Did G-d know that the Kohen Godol was entering the Sanctuary?
Sure, Mom. G-d knows everything.
The why did He need bells on the robe of the Kohen Godol to signal his entrance? G-d does not need any signals.
That's a great question Mom. What's the answer?
To teach us the importance of letting people know that we are coming. There are several stories in the Talmud that stress the importance of not entering a room suddenly.
Now I know why you are telling me this Devar Torah Mom. I came into your room without knocking and disturbed your conversation with Shoshie.
Exactly, Avi. When you come home from school, I know how excited you are to tell me about your day. You want to rush into the house to see me. Pause a second, knock softly on the door, and then enter the house. That way you will not startle me. Whenever a door is closed in our home, you should knock softly before entering. Someone may be sleeping in the room, or may not want to be disturbed.
You are so right Mom. No one wants to be startled or disturbed.
That's right Avi. Our home is one where we all respect each other's privacy. Our rule is "knock before entering".
WHO BROKE THE RADIO?
"The view sure is nice up here on the roof of the building Yossie."
"Beautiful Chezi. I'm glad that I brought my radio so that we can listen to music. It helps drown out the noise of the workers' power tools."
Suddenly, one of workers walks over to Yossie, grabs his radio and throws it off the roof.
"I don't like that music!" the worker growls.
"But you didn't have to break my radio!"
"I didn't break it. I just threw it off the roof."
With that, the two lean over watching the radio fall. A worker on the ground floor sees it falling. Just before it hits the ground he smashes it with his hammer.
"You see, I didn't break it. That man at the bottom broke it."
"But you'll have to pay."
"No I won't. I didn't break it."
Yossie runs downstairs and quickly finds the worker who smashed his radio.
"You have to pay for my radio"
"No I don't. It would have surely broken anyway in another second. I didn't break it any more than the fall would have."
The question is: who pays for Yossie's radio?
Answer next week.
(This puzzle is from Tractate Bava Kamma, page 17b).
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Editor: Reuven Subar
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